Open the newspaper or start a conversation about the Kootenai National Forest and one topic is sure to come up: Lawsuits. Frankly, this theme can be heard wherever there is a national forest. People often feel frustrated that lawyers and judges trump local professional land managers.
Though the smoke has now cleared from Montana’s skies, we’re far from extinguishing another major problem facing our forests: the crisis of how we pay for fighting forest fires while continuing to fund essential Forest Service programs that sustain Montana’s outdoor way of life and our outdoor economy.
America is a nation of laws, but that does not mean the courtroom is necessarily the best place to resolve problems. Sometimes, the best place to settle differences is out in the fresh air, in the scent of pines and the sound of the breeze overhead.
America is a nation of laws, but that does not mean the courtroom is necessarily the best place to resolve problems. Sometimes, the best place to settle differences is out in the fresh air, in the scent of pines and the sound of the breeze overhead.
Montana’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (FJRA) again came close to passage last month. The bill aimed at creating jobs and improving forest management enjoys strong support in Montana and has earned crucial support in the U.S. Senate.
